Surgical support



NOV- 9, 1943'- BLACKBURN ET A1. 2,333,839 SURGICAL SUPPORT Filed Dec. 54, 1941 EW/140,51' Je Cb/eoo w57.

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES T'EHNT 2,333,839 SURGICAL SUPPORT Lila I. Blackburn and Leander de Cordova, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 5, 1941, Serial No. 421,703

` 1 claim'. `(o1. 12s-290) Our invention relates to a surgicalsupport and has for its principal object to provide a relatively simple, practical and convenient support, especially designed to be worn by females for the rm and helpful support of prolapsed abdominal organs, or those organs which tend to prolapse, for instance, the uterus, bladder, lower colon and rectum. f I

Further objects of our invention are, to provide a surgical bandage of the character referred to that may be worn with the entire comfort of the wearer, and which may be easily and conveniently adjusted so as to exert an appreciable and desired degree of lifting eect to the lower portion of the wearers abdomen' andthe organs therein, and furthen, to providethe main body of the support with simple and eicient means for receiving and holding in place, a hernia pad, a protective inember such as a napkin, or a catamenial pad.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying "drawing `in which: y

Fig. 1 is plan view of a surgical support constructed in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view at'line 2-'2 in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of a womans body and showing the support in proper position therefrom. I

Fig. 4 is rear elevational view of a portion of a support.

Referring by numerals tothe accompanying drawing, Il) designates a strapor bandage like member approximatelyeighteen `or twenty inches in length and having a widthof approximately three inches at its center. I Y

From its center the strap gradually increases in width toward its ends and the latter are bifurcated to form `diverging front straps I I and rear straps I2. somewhat greater than that of thefront straps I I.

Womans body and showing the rear portion of the Strap III is composed of an' under layer of firmly woven fabric I3, such as coutil, and an upper layer of soft, iiexible fabric I4, such as canton flannel. The under layer of coutil or other rinly woven fabric imparts to the support of the desired degree `of body and stiffness and enables "said support to maintain its proper shape while inA use.

The divergence of the rear straps I2 is Overlying'the side edges of the layers of fabric I I3 and-` I4 forming the body of the strap are I covered with strips of fabric I5 having a soft nap or pile such asvelvet, plush or the like, which together with the upper layer I4 of soft flexible fabric produces a comfortable effect upon the wearers skin.` These strips I5 are secured to the fabric layers I4 and I4 by rows of stitching I6.

Positioned on top of the upper layer I4 of the body I0, at short distances inwardly from the bifurcated ends thereof, are transversely disposed straps I1 of cotton tape or webbing which serve to retain in position on top of the supporting strap, articles such as a hernia pad or a napkin. The ends of these straps underlie the edging strips Iii and are secured thereto and the strap I0 by the stitching I 5.

Secured to the ends of the straps I I and I2 are Short straps i8 of suitable webbing, which when the support is worn are adjustably attached to buckles B that are secured on the front and rear sides of the wearers girdle or corset, preferably at points slightly above the waistline as illustrated in Figs. `3 and 4.

When our improved support is in position for use the intermediate portion of member I0 passes through the wearers crotch with the diverging end strap I0 and the straps I8 that are connected thereto, extending upwardly over the medial line of the lower portion of the abdomen of the wearer and with the widely diverging strips I2 and straps I3 that are connected thereto, extending upwardly on the medial portion of the wearers back.

In applying the support to the body, the straps I8 are adjusted upwardly through the buckles B so that the member I normally exerts a certain degree of upward pull or lift on the lower portion of the abdomen thereby lifting and supporting any prolapsed organ or organs, and at the same time rmly holding in proper place any organ or organs that may tend to prolapse.

The degree of upward pull and lifting effect may be accurately regulated by adjustment of l the straps' I l in buckles B.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided a surgical support that is .simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective toward its ends, both ends of said body member being bifurcated to form pairs of straps, exten.- sion straps secured to the ends of said diverging straps, transverse straps overlying the upper 4side of the body member near the ends thereof, the ends of which transverse straps are secured to said body member adjacent its side edges, strips of velvet-like material secured tothe sides of said body member and overlying the upper and lower faces thereof adjacent its edges, and which strips extend from the diverging straps at one end of the body member to the diverging straps,

at the other end,

LILA I. BLACKBURN. LEANDER n; CORDOVA. -4 

